Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development To Use Percussion Software's Rhythmyx 5.6 ECM To Drive Multi-Site Web Presence.

WOBURN, Mass. -- Key Selection Criteria Included Quick Out-of-the-Box Implementation, Easy Multi-Site Rollout and Robust Content Reuse Across Web Presence

Percussion(R) Software, a leading developer of practical software solutions enabling customers to maximize the value and quality of enterprise content, today announced that the State of Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) will use its Rhythmyx 5.6 Enterprise Content Management (ECM) solution to drive a multi-site Web presence. DBED is responsible for the state's economic and business development and tourism efforts. Its public-facing Web sites include www.ChooseMaryland.org, www.VisitMaryland.org, www.MSAC.org, the site of the Maryland State Arts Council, and www.MarylandFilm.org, a site that encourages the film industry to shoot movies in Maryland. Rhythmyx was recommended for the DBED Web environment by systems integrator Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), after a competitive evaluation that examined 25 Content Management vendors.

DBED's search for a Content Management System (CMS) focused on key requirements, including quick implementation out-of-the-box, without a lot of mandatory customization, easy rollout to multiple Web sites and robust content reuse across many sites. The Rhythmyx 5.6 solution is seen as an important way to unite all the content contributors who will use the system throughout the state of Maryland, from volunteers who are often novice PC users to the most tech-savvy individuals. With the Rhythmyx CMS, DBED plans to manage content more efficiently, keep marketing information current and easily updated and support a graphics-intensive environment. Rhythmyx 5.6 gives DBED the ability to scale and innovate over the coming years, while delivering the best performance now for the value.

DBED's Rhythmyx implementation will begin with www.ChooseMaryland.org, a complex Web site that includes a variety of mini-sites within it for programs such as Maryland With Pride - MWP.ChooseMaryland.org - which enables many of Maryland's small businesses to sell their products via the Web.

Major Reasons for Selecting Rhythmyx Rx 5.6

Key Rhythmyx 5.6 features and capabilities that will play a significant role in DBED's Content Management solution include:

--Rhythmyx FastForward for WCM - enables quick implementation with pre-built, out-of-the-box capabilities.

--Global Templates and Cloning - make it easy to roll out multiple sites, and also simplify the creation of mini-sites for specific promotion projects. For example, creating mini-sites to promote trade shows - such as the Paris Air Show - that DBED attends as part of its business and economic development program.

--Microsoft Office Word Integration - enables a broad spectrum of users to contribute content by working in Word and exporting content directly to Rhythmyx.

--Digital Asset Management (DAM) - simplifies the management of large collections of images, video and other digital assets.

--Robust Content Reuse - maximizes the value of each content item by encouraging reuse within Web sites, in specially-built mini-sites, and from site to site in the Web presence.

--Impact Analysis - gives content contributors and CMS administrators the ability to see the effect of content changes across the multi-site Web environment before those changes are taken live.

--Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) - enables rapid end-user adoption by allowing users to contribute content to Rhythmyx directly from familiar desktop tools, including Adobe PhotoShop, Macromedia Dreamweaver and Flash and Microsoft Office and FrontPage. This is often a critical feature for organizations, such as DBED, that have a mixed base of PC and Mac users.

--Personalization - enables marketers to use Rhythmyx to target specific audience segments with metadata tags and profile-driven information.

"With its hefty set of business goals, DBED is a good example of how government organizations can place big demands on a multi-site Web presence," said Barry Reynolds, CEO of Percussion Software. "Rhythmyx is made for this kind of challenge. Its FastForward for WCM capabilities will get DBED's enhanced Web sites up and running quickly, and its cloning capabilities and global templates will enable quick roll out across their Web presence. DBED also will benefit from core Rhythmyx strengths, such as robust content reuse, impact analysis and easy operation via Microsoft Word for non-technical users - all of which will enable DBED to better meet its business development and tourism promotion goals."

About DBED

The State of Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) attracts new businesses, stimulates private investment and creates jobs, encourages the expansion and retention of existing companies and provides businesses in Maryland with workforce training and financial assistance. The Department promotes the State's many economic advantages and markets local products and services at home and abroad to spur economic development, international trade and tourism. DBED also supports the arts, film production, sports and other special events. It maintains multiple Web sites, including www.ChooseMaryland.org, www.VisitMaryland.org, www.MarylandFilm.org and www.MSAC.org.

About Percussion Software

Percussion Software's family of practical software solutions enables customers to maximize both the value and quality of their enterprise content through cost-effective content management, ease of content reuse, optimized delivery to multiple channels and increased efficiency. The company's flagship product, Rhythmyx 5.6, based on open standards, is the first Enterprise Content Management (ECM) solution to provide cost-effective, multi-channel delivery of easily reusable content. Percussion's Lyrix product, the first comprehensive Lotus Domino Content Integration solution, unlocks proprietary Domino content for reuse in other enterprise applications. Lyrix builds on Percussion's Domino expertise, gained over the past 10 years from the company's line of award-winning and innovative Power Tools for Lotus Domino: Notrix, PowerFlow, and ServerAdmin Plus.

Percussion's portfolio of over 2,500 customers includes Fortune 1000 companies as well as other global, industry and public sector leaders, including Armstrong World Industries, Bank One, Bayer, Colgate, the FAA, Hitachi, HUD, IBM, ICI Paints, Intel, Jefferson Health System, MasterCard International, McKesson, Merck, Motorola, Northrop Grumman, Prudential Insurance, Shell Chemical, the Dept. of State, 3M, Thrifty Car Rental, Toshiba and Verizon. Founded in 1994, Percussion Software is self-funded and profitable. More information can be found on the Web at www.percussion.com.

Percussion Software is a registered trademark and Rhythmyx, Lyrix, Active Assembly and De-Coupled Delivery are trademarks of Percussion Software. All other registered trademarks and trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.